When Stars Align
by Deserah
Summary: Nell, a young woman from Hosnian Prime, escapes her mundane life to live her secret dream of becoming a pilot for the Resistance. She doesn't expect to meet a certain pilot from Yavin 4... Poe/OC Rated M for later chapters! In progress - this is my first EVER fic, so please be kind!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It was the green that Nell noticed first. Tall grass that rippled in the breeze and lush emerald forest as far as the eye could see – a stark contrast to the grey duracrete of her homeworld. As the transport began its descent to the tarmac of the Resistance hangar, Nell cast her mind back to the events that had led her to seek out the base on D'Qar.

Nell had been longing to leave Hosnian Prime since her seventeenth life day and dreamed of escaping the mundanity of her life at the centre of the Republic. Since she had been a small girl she had been fascinated with her Uncle's tales of his days in the Rebel Alliance, flying in Green Squadron, fighting alongside the legendary Han Solo. Nell's eyes would grow as wide as saucers, despite her mother's irritated sighs, as she raptly listened to his stories of heroic battles and clashes with the Empire.

Nell had chosen an easy life, following her parents' expectations, studying hard at the academy and finding a stable (if monotonous) job as an administrator for the Republic Senate. Her father was a scientist, her mother a teacher – both honourable professions, and of great import – but Nell dreamed of more. Since she was very young her uncle had taught her to fly his old A-wing, the very ship he flew in the final battle to destroy the Death Star. Nell had shown a natural affinity as a pilot, and never felt freer than when she was in the cockpit, her small hands deftly steering, fingers dancing across the controls of the craft. The day after Nell turned twenty-five, her beloved Uncle died. Nell had been distraught. The one family member who didn't scoff at her dreams and abilities was gone, and she was utterly cast adrift. Nell continued her mundane life, working every day, playing the dutiful daughter, but a fiery ambition still burned deep inside her soul. She would honour her uncle. She would become more than the timid young woman who spent her life chained to her desk, working day in, day out, resigned to a life of anonymity and monotony.

One day Nell decided that enough was enough. She had packed a large khaki hold all with her most treasured possessions, including her uncle's old flight log, and flown the battered A-wing to the nearest space port. It was no secret that the First Order was making its presence felt across the galaxy, their actions touted as 'protecting honest citizens of the Republic' in the propaganda that was constantly playing on the Holonet. Nell's parents were intelligent people, but were wilfully ignorant of the real danger. Nell had heard talk from the grizzled pilots at the space port, and was aware of the actions of the Resistance. Before her uncle had died he had warned her...

 _"Nell – question everything. You're a clever girl. Your mother was once like you, but she was scared. The galaxy is a dangerous place, but whatever you do – don't let that stop you doing the right thing. The time is coming for action. You have skills. Skills that will be valuable in the coming storm. Don't make the same mistake your mother did. When the time comes, you know what to do."_

Nell blinked back her tears and swallowed the lump that rose in her throat at the memory of her uncle. She had summoned all her courage, shouldered her hold all and left for the space port to find a transport that was leaving for Takodana. She was going to find a way to join the Resistance.

Once at Maz Kanata's castle, it hadn't taken her long to seek transport that was leaving for the Resistance base, and she used the remainder of the credits she'd gained from selling her uncle's ship to buy passage on the freighter that was delivering crucial supplies to the base.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The freighter touched down on the tarmac and Nell gathered up her bag, pushing her unruly chestnut curls out of her eyes and straightened her shoulders. She didn't know what to expect. She had heard tales of the Resistance, and was unsure what was fact and what was fiction. There was one name which kept cropping up in the tall tales she'd heard – Poe Dameron. The 'Best Pilot In The Resistance'. Nell was captivated by the stories she'd heard, daring to hope that one day she might get to fly in Red or Blue squadron under the command of the legendary Black Leader.

Nell stepped out in to the sunlight, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the bright daylight after the darkness of the freighter's hold. On her descent to D'Qar she'd noticed how green the planet was, but nothing prepared her for the sight of the base. Hangars had been built into the rolling hills of the green planet, virtually unnoticeable from above. They were mostly empty, but a few held X-Wings that were being repaired by mechanics. The base was alive with action, and Nell stood on the tarmac, at a loss as to what to do now that she'd arrived. Nell let her bag fall to the ground as she tried to spot someone who could tell her what to do.

Nell straightened her back as she spotted a small, but dignified figure approaching her. Despite being just over 5 feet tall, General Leia Organa was instantly recognisable, her brown eyes burning in to the depths of Nell's soul. Nell gulped nervously as the General stopped about 3 feet away from her, staring.

"Nell Evaan. We've been expecting you. Your uncle was a great man – I felt his loss keenly. He knew you would join us eventually."

Nell was stunned.

"General...I...I've come to offer what assistance I can. I want to honour my uncle's memory."

Nell shifted uncomfortably under the General's assessing gaze, though her expression had softened.

"We are grateful for your offer of help. I feel that we may need all the pilots we can get after the current mission. Follow me, you'll need to be assigned a bunk and given a briefing."

As the General began to move away, the two women stopped in their tracks. A bright streak of red slashed across the azure sky, converging in to five points, each ending with a small burst of light. Nell blanched and fell to her knees in shock, deaf to the General's gasp. The Hosnian System. It was gone. She vaguely heard the General calling her name as the world faded to black.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Nell awoke to a steady beeping sound, unsure of where she was. Her eyes darted back and forth, trying to place the cold, clinical room she was in as she slowly regained consciousness. Suddenly, her memories rushed back to her, along with the realisation of what she had seen just before she passed out. Nell gasped as a sharp pain lanced through her chest, stealing her breath. Her mother. Her father. Everyone she had ever known and loved, gone in one streak of scarlet light.

A droid rolled in to the room, noticed she was awake and promptly sped away out of sight, beeping frantically. Nell heard soft footfalls in the corridor outside the room, and was greeted by the sight of a kindly woman in a white uniform, followed by General Organa.

"Thank you, Dala. You can leave us now." The General said, smiling sadly at the other woman, and taking a seat at Nell's bedside.

"Wh...what happened?" Nell swallowed heavily, noticing how dry her mouth was.

"You fainted, my dear. I'm so sorry..." the General's eyes were pained, and Nell looked away, unable to hold the older woman's gaze.

"The First Order. It was them, wasn't it?" Nell whispered, hardly daring to speak the words.

The General nodded.

" It seems they have created a weapon more powerful even than the two Death Stars combined. We have established that the weapon has harnessed the power of a sun, giving them the ability to exterminate whole planets. It may be of little comfort to you at the moment, but as we speak our X-wing squadrons are leading an attack on their base. We've obtained information which will enable us to disable this terrible weapon. Commander Dameron is leading the charge. I have every faith that they will be successful."

Nell nodded, unable to formulate a response, still numb with shock, save for the pain in her chest.

"Thank you General."

"Call me Leia, my dear." The General's comm beeped "Excuse me, Nell – it seems we've received word of the mission's status. Nurse Dala will be in shortly to check your vitals and then you will be shown to your bunk."

The diminutive woman left, heading for the control room.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The mission had been a success. Starkiller Base had been destroyed, forcing the First Order to make a hasty retreat. The X-Wing squadrons had returned, along with the Millennium Falcon. Nell's jaw dropped when she saw the YT-1300 Corellian Freighter descend on to the tarmac. The ship was legendary, as was it's pilot. The entry ramp descended and out walked the Wookiee, Chewbacca, carrying An unconscious young man in his arms. He was followed by a young girl, dressed in ragged clothes and carrying a large staff. The General approached the girl, who sank in to the older woman's embrace. Nell was distracted from the sight as a man in an orange flight suit sprinted past her, running towards the Wookiee, who was placing the unconscious young man on a stretcher. The orange-suited pilot swiftly followed the stretcher as it was rushed in to the hangar and towards the medical bay that Nell had just come from.

Nell returned to her quarters, not without hearing mutterings in the hallways as she passed the returning pilots and other personnel.

"...used to be a 'trooper, heard he saved Dameron..."

"Solo's gone. Ren got him"

"Who's the girl?"

"Who's the other girl?"

The snatched pieces of conversation that Nell heard raised all sorts of questions. She carried on to her bunk, eager to rest and make sense of her new situation.

Nell had been assigned quarters in the pilots' wing, and she soon found her room. Palming the entry pad, she stepped in to the room. Her quarters were small and modest, with no window and a surprisingly generously-sized bed pushed up against the right wall. There was a small 'fresher to her right as she entered the room, and a small desk and chair were against the back wall. There was a closet with minimal hanging space on the left wall. Somebody had placed Nell's khaki hold-all on her bed, and she walked over and sat next to it. Reaching inside, she found her uncle's old, worn leather-bound flight log. Nell held it to her heart and breathed in the comforting scent of the leather.

Nell was startled out of her reverie by a chime at the door. Carefully replacing the log at the bottom of her bag, she walked over and palmed the door open. The door slid open to reveal a striking woman with long black hair and almond-shaped eyes, who appeared close in age to her.

"Nell, right? Hear you're a pilot! Name's Pava, Jess Pava. I'm a pilot in Red Squadron. The General wants me to show you the flight sims. You good to go?"

Nell was startled by the other girl's enthusiastic greeting, but quickly recovered.

"Um, sure...Jess? Really good to meet you – I don't know anyone here yet."

The other girl chuckled, "We'll soon change that. Victory party in the mess tonight! You'll meet all the guys then – they're gonna love you! Now, come on..."

Jess grabbed Nell by the hand, dragging her away down the corridor towards the hangar.

When they reached the cavernous hangar, Jess thrust a grubby orange flight suit in to Nell's hands and led her over to a large pod which contained a replica of an X-wing cockpit.

"Right Nell, you need to put that on, then we'll get you in here. You can show us what you're made of. Ever flown an X-wing?"

Nell shrugged, peering inside the pod at the controls, pulling the formerly-orange suit up over her body.

"Nope. My uncle taught me to fly an A-Wing from the age of 6 though, so it can't be too different, right? He flew in Green Squadron during the battle of Endor"

Jess looked her up and down, impressed.

"You're Dak Evaan's niece? If you're anything like your uncle, this sim'll be a walk in the park. Ready?"

Nell nodded, eager to get started. She climbed in to the pod and settled herself in the worn leather seat, flicking switches and setting the controls up for the sim flight. Jess handed her a battered old helmet and closed the door of the pod with a grin.

"See ya on the other side, Evaan!"

Nell took a deep breath, closing her eyes, and exhaled, opening them. She focused on the sim flight ahead of her, and felt her hands grip the familiar controls.

"Just a walk in the park..." she muttered, a smile playing on her lips as she effortlessly went through simulated flight manoeuvres.

Nell eased up on the controls and brought the sim flight in to land as Jess pounded on the roof of the pod, signalling time was up. Jess clambered out, removing her helmet and pushing a lock of unruly hair behind her ear.

"You sure you've never flown an X-wing before? Girl, you're damn good!" Jess breathed. "Wait 'til Dameron hears about this – you arrived just in time, we lost some good men in the last battle".

"I'm sorry" Nell murmured, unsure what to say to the other girl.

"We're in a war now. It happens. We celebrate victories, and in doing so we honour the fallen" Jess shrugged, a sad smile on her lips. "Anyway, with sim scores like that, you've earned a celebration! Come with me!"

Jess grabbed Nell by the wrist, dragging her off down another corridor. Nell could see a pattern emerging, but couldn't help the smile on her face as she followed her new friend.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Nell Evaan stepped in to the mess hall after Jess, surveying the sight that met her. Pilots crowded around tables, carousing, chatting and drinking, joking and toasting their recent success.

"Wait here, I'll be right back with drinks!" Jess said, before disappearing off in to the crowd, leaving Nell standing by the door, nervously shifting from foot to foot.

Back on Hosnian Prime, Nell hadn't been unsociable, but her sense of duty to her family, along with her desire to keep her head down and stay focused in work meant that she didn't have many opportunities to socialise outside of the occasional drink at the Cantina near the space port.

Nell felt the now familiar tug of pain in her chest as her thoughts went to her home world that was no more. She turned to leave, when a hand touched her shoulder. Startled, she spun around to see a man reaching out to her, his inky black hair slightly dishevelled, his orange flight suit unzipped to his waist revealing an off-white open-necked shirt underneath.

Nell tripped over her own feet in her shock, falling in to the man's arms. Nell blushed furiously, cursing her stupid feet and extricated herself from the man's grip, trying hard not to notice his firm chest and defined muscles.

"Kriff, I'm so sorry, I was...I was just leaving." The man chuckled and grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Hey, wait – don't go, we're just getting started. You're Nell Evaan, right? The new pilot? The General told me about you." The pilot's dark brown eyes raked searchingly over Nell's face as he ran a hand through his wavy hair.

"Um, yeah...just started. Nice to meet you Mr...?"

"Dameron. Poe Dameron."

Nell gasped, blushing even more " _You're_ Poe Dameron? Oh kriff, I'm so sorry for falling on you...this is so embarrassing...I'm going to stop talking now." Nell wished the ground would open up and swallow her.

"Look, don't worry about it" Poe winked and bit his lip "Who am I to complain if a beautiful woman throws herself at me? Come on, let's get you a drink".

Nell flushed as he guided her through the crowd to the bar, his warm hand on the small of her back, sending a shiver up her spine.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Poe grabbed two drinks from the table in the corner of the mess hall that was serving as a makeshift bar, and led Nell by the hand over to a table in the corner. Around it sat Jessika Pava, Temmin 'Snap' Wexley and Ello Asty.

"Nell! There you are! I see our brave commander has been leading you astray..." Jess quipped, wiggling her eyebrows at Poe, who rolled his eyes, smiling. Nell chuckled and blushed once again.

"Alright Pava, that's enough. You left this poor girl to fend for herself in a room full of drunken pilots – I did the chivalrous thing here. Nell, sit down, let me introduce you to your future squadron." Poe grinned and proceeded to make the introductions as more pilots joined the table, until Nell's head was reeling in the struggle to remember all their names and designations. She sat back in her chair, taking a sip of the drink Poe handed her. The amber liquid was pleasantly warming, and slightly dulled the ache in her chest that remained. She took another sip, and another. Before she knew it she was on her third glass.

Nell couldn't remember a time when she'd felt so welcomed in to a group of people. In her old life the people she knew were nice enough, but she always felt like an outsider. On D'Qar she'd found a group of people with a common cause and drive to see justice in the galaxy. She felt as if she wasn't hiding her true self any more. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Poe regarding her quietly as the other pilots clamoured around him. Nell offered him a small smile, but his warm brown eyes saw through her.

Nell stood quickly, stretching and yawning. The room swayed a little, so, making her excuses, she quickly left the mess hall, running the rest of the way to her bunk. She wasn't ready to talk to the intriguing pilot. Poe made to follow her, but was stopped by Jess's hand on his arm.

"Poe, don't. Let her go, there's something you should know. She from Hosnian Prime – she's lost everything. You need to give her some time to deal with that." Poe frowned and sat down heavily, rubbing his jaw with one hand. He wanted to get to know the mysterious girl, but knew he couldn't rush things. Turning to the rest of his squadron, he stood up and bid them goodnight, leaving for his quarters. He had some thinking to do.

Nell tossed and turned in her bunk, her head spinning after the long day's events and not slightly because of the three glasses of Corellian Fire Whiskey she'd drunk that evening. She couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she saw the faces of her parents and friends. She saw her mother screaming, clutching to her father, their faces bathed in red light, cowering as their world erupted in to flames. She could hear the cries and screams of the people of Hosnian Prime, powerless to stop their doom, paralysed in fear as the red beam came closer and closer to their planet.

"I should have been there" Nell murmured, tears clouding her vision. The pain in her chest grew almost unbearable, and she staggered to the 'fresher, retching in to the sink as she let her tears flow freely. Nell crumpled to cool tiled floor of the room as exhaustion overtook, falling in to a deep sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Nell woke up the next morning, stiff and sore from her night spent on the floor of the 'fresher. She groaned and stretched her limbs, trying to work the kinks out of her back and shoulders before she got up. Taking in her surroundings she spotted the shower in the corner, realising that was exactly what she needed. Nell turned on the hot jet of water, the steam filling the small space. Discarding her dusty and crumpled clothes, Nell stepped in to the shower, feeling the scaldingly hot water wash away the dust and grime from her journey. She tilted her face to the spray, washing away the remnants of her salty tears from the night before. Grabbing a bar of citrus-scented soap, Nell scrubbed at her skin until it was red and thoroughly clean. She let the hot stream of water rinse the suds from her hair and body before shutting off the water and stepping out of the shower, wringing out her hair and wrapping a clean, fluffy towel around her body.

As Nell left the 'fresher she heard a rapid knock at her door. Without thinking she palmed open the door, coming face to face with Poe Dameron.

Poe made a small choking sound as he took in Nell's appearance "Nell! Um, hi, sorry...this is obviously a bad time...I, er...nice...towel?" Poe winced at his lame attempt at greeting Nell. Running a hand through his ebony curls, he looked flushed anywhere but at the towel-clad girl in the doorway.

"Anyway Nell, I err...I wanted to see if she wanted to join me for breakfast? Jess and Snap are a little the worse for wear after last night and I thought you might not have anyone to go with."

Nell tried to hide her grin at the pilot's obvious embarrassment.

"Yeah, that'd be great. Come in, I was just about to change..."

"Well, I mean, you don't have to – I'm sure nobody would mind if you just wore the towel" Poe smirked, biting that lip again, as he followed her in to the room letting the door slide closed behind them. Nell jokingly swatted him on the arm, going over to the hold all and grabbing a few items. She ducked in to the fresher, sliding the door closed behind her. Nell looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was starting to dry in messy waves around her shoulders, but her moss green eyes were clear and her pale skin was soft and smooth. She'd do. Changing in to a pair of soft black leggings and a grey long-sleeved t shirt she looked herself over in the mirror before stepping back out of the room to join Poe.

Nell pulled on a pair of dark green socks, followed by her tall brown boots and opened the door, waiting for Poe to lead the way back to the mess.

" So, I'll bet you've never tried Shuuva fruit before? It's native to this planet and makes a great start to the day..." Poe said, once again placing his hand on Nell's lower back, invoking that same spike of heat in her abdomen.

Nell had a feeling this pilot was going to be trouble, but leaned in to his touch anyway, enjoying the heat he radiated. She felt safe.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note:**

 **Thank you so, so much for all your follows,favourites and reviews - keep them coming! It's so encouraging to have such good feedback for my first fic. Glad there's so much Dameron love out there :) Hope you enjoy this monster chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it - some hurt/comfort fluff coming in the next chapter!**

 **Deserah xx**

Chapter 8

Poe's conversation was engaging, and Nell found herself relaxing in the man's company, despite her growing attraction towards him. She felt guilty for feeling that way, especially in the wake of losing her family and everything she'd ever known at the hands of the First Order. Nell hadn't been particularly close to her parents – her Uncle Dak had been more of a parent to her than her mother and father – but she still felt their loss with every fibre of her being.

"Nell, are you ok?" Poe asked quietly, his dark brows knitted together with concern "You kinda drifted off there." Nell shrugged apologetically.

"I'm sorry Poe – I was just thinking of home. It's still not quite sunk in. It'll be ok" She smiled a little too brightly "Anyway, what were you saying?" Nell wasn't ready to talk about her pain yet.

"Well, Pava was telling me last night about your sim scores. Sounds as if you gave me a run for my money. How'd you like to try the real thing?" Nell grinned at Poe, nodding. Poe pushed his food tray away, standing and reaching for Nell's hand. She gladly accepted his as he hoisted her out of her chair, nodding his head in the direction of the main hangar.

Nell gasped as she entered the hangar, seeing all the X-wings lined up. She followed Poe over to a black X-wing with orange accents – it was a sight to behold and Nell looked it over appreciatively.

"This is Black One. She's all mine and she handles like a dream. She's got me out of quite few scrapes in her time. And this," Poe turned and indicated the ship next to his "will be yours."

Nell turned and looked at the X-wing he was looking at. It was off-white with emerald green accents, slightly scuffed, but otherwise perfect.

"Mine? As in, my very own X-wing?" Nell uttered disbelievingly. "She's a beauty!"

"Well, the General told me that your Uncle was in Green Squadron back in the day. She also told me that he was the reason you came to us. I thought you might want to honour him, hence the green..."

Nell turned to face Poe, her mouth agape. Suddenly, she threw her arms around his neck, tears in her eyes. Poe flushed and patted her back awkwardly, unsure of how to react to the warm feminine body that was suddenly pressed against his. Nell sensed him stiffen in her embrace and quickly released him, blushing.

"I'm so sorry, Commander, I just...well, nobody's ever done anything like that for me before. It's perfect." Poe's expression softened with relief that he'd done the right thing.

"Please, call me Poe. Anyway, ready to fly?" Poe said, handing her a flight suit as he tugged on his own. Nell nodded and started to zip up her flight suit, then going to climb the ladder up to the cockpit of her ship. Two engineers approached their ships and went over final checks, detaching the fuelling pipes and indicating two astromech droids in to position under the ships. Nell looked down at Poe's droid, putting her helmet on and flicking on the comm system.

"Who's that cute little guy?"

Poe chuckled, noticing what she was referring to.

"Nell, meet BB-8. BB-8, meet Nell. She's our newest recruit." Nell heard the little orb-like droid beeping cheerily over Poe's comm line as she went through her final pre-flight checks.

"Hey BB-8. It's a pleasure to meet you. Ok Comma...Poe. Ready when you are."

"Roger that. Let's see what you can do."

The two X-wings lifted off, heading in to the clear air of the green planet. Nell relaxed in to the leather seat, feeling a sense of freedom begin to wash over her. The controls of the ship were like second nature to her, as the cruciform wings of their ships cut through the air, swooping low over the top of the base.

"Ready to try something different" Poe's voice crackled in her ear. Nell grinned.

"What did you have in mind, Black Leader?" In response, Poe picked up speed, rapidly inclining in to the atmosphere, sweeping right and ending in a barrel roll. Nell imitated him perfectly.

" Looks like Pava was right...nice moves, Evaan!" Nell blushed, grateful that Poe couldn't see how pleased she was with his approval. She and Poe flew in tandem for another hour or so – she lost track of time, thoroughly enjoying herself and feeling as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders for the first time since she's arrived at the base. She couldn't remember when she's last been this happy or free.

"Ready to head back?" Her comm crackled once again. Nell looked out of the cockpit to see Poe's ship to her left.

"Awww, do we have to?" Nell moaned, joking. In response she steered slightly to the right, descending and heading back in the direction of the airfield, enjoying the sound of Poe's laugh in her ear. Landing smoothly, with Black One touching down alongside her, Nell popped open the cockpit and descended the ladder. She removed her helmet and shook out her chestnut hair, hoping it wasn't too messy after the confines of the helmet.

"That's some pretty sharp flying, Miss Evaan. When did you learn all that?" Poe grinned, striding over to her as soon as he was down the ladder from his own cockpit, BB-8 hot on his heels. Nell shrugged lightly and smiled.

"My uncle started teaching me in his old A-wing when I was about seven...my mother wasn't happy about it, but she could see that it was all I wanted. She couldn't have stopped me if she tried" Nell finished, smiling sadly.

" You know, my mother was in Green Squadron, too? She started teaching me when I was six. I'd wanted to fly ever since I could walk. Sounds like we have a lot in common." Poe smiled at Nell, looking a little hopeful.

"Your mother is Shara Bey?" Nell gaped at Poe, who nodded. Green four, Shara Bey, had been her childhood idol, and had featured heavily in her Uncle's stories of his days in the Rebel Alliance. Ever since hearing about the woman Nell had known that she wanted to be a pilot like her Uncle. She couldn't believe her luck.

"Was." Poe corrected gently "She died when I was 8. She was amazing. It wasn't until I joined the Republic Starfleet that I found out just how amazing she was. She never spoke about her time in the Rebellion. I looked up all her old flight logs I found out she'd completed hundreds of missions. She was quite a woman. She's the main reason I joined the Resistance. Reading about what she came up against made me realise just how bad things were getting with the First Order. Luckily I managed to bring my two most trusted pilots from Rapier Squadron with me when I defected.

Nell listened, rapt with attention. She really felt as if Poe was opening up to her and didn't take it lightly. She was increasingly fascinated by the man who was in turns kind and sensitive, yet brave and daring in the air. She couldn't help but notice that he seemed genuinely interested in her, too. Nell wasn't sure what to do about that. She's had boyfriends in the past, and had plenty of experience with men. More than she wanted to admit, in fact. In some ways in the past her encounters had been a form of escapism from her dull life. She hadn't had any involvement with men in the past year or so though, having been too distracted by work and the loss of her Uncle.

Poe's comm suddenly sounded.

"That's the General – she wants to see me. Are you gonna be ok on your own for a bit? I'll comm you later, ok?" Poe smiled apologetically at Nell, already starting to walk away. Nell nodded and shooed him away.

"Yes, go! Talk to you later" she smiled. Turning and leaving, Poe ran off in the direction of the Command Centre. Nell watched him leave, hoping she'd hear from him later, before heading back to her quarters to change out of the flight suit.

The rest of the day passed slowly, and, apart from a quick comm message to say that he wouldn't be able to join her for dinner, Nell didn't hear from Poe. She was joined in the mess for dinner by Jessika Pava, who wanted to know all about her flight session with Poe, and Snap Wexley who was friendly enough, but seemed far too distracted by Jess to hold any real conversation with Nell. Looking at the chrono on the wall, Nell noticed that it was getting late and excused herself from the two other pilots, leaving for her quarters. Nell palmed shut the door of her quarters and stripped off her clothes, changing in to a pair of soft sleep trousers and a strappy tank for bed. Climbing under the covers, Nell tried to quiet her racing thoughts before drifting off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 _Burning red light. Flames. Screaming._

Nell saw her parents again, their faces twisted in to awful melted versions of the faces she knew so well. Nell was paralysed, unable to move as her parents screamed in pain and horror, the world around them dissolving into ash and molten rock, buildings crumbling in to the flames, their bodies blackening in the fire that surrounded them.

Nell woke abruptly, realising that the screams were her own. Shaking her head to clear her mind of the images, Nell threw off the sweat-soaked sheet that covered her trembling body. Looking around her, Nell stood up, stretching her limbs. Checking the chrono on her desk, she saw that it was only two hours past midnight. Deciding that she wouldn't be able to sleep again just yet, Nell pulled on her boots and a thin black sweater, leaving her room. Heading for the hangar, Nell breathed in the smell of engine fuel and the damp earthy scent of the trees that covered the planet. Looking up at the stars, Nell was struck by the empty space where the Hosnian System would have been. Roughly wiping the tears from her eyes with her sweater sleeve, Nell didn't notice the figure that entered the hangar behind her, until she heard him call her name softly.

"Nell" Poe said, coming to stand next to her. "What are you doing out here?"

Nell turned to face him, trying to hide her red eyes behind the fall of her hair. Poe reached out and tucked the strands behind her ear, his hand lingering before he limply dropped his arm to his side. Nell looked up at him slowly, meeting his worried gaze.

"I saw them, Poe. My parents. They were in so much pain...I couldn't help them...I..." Nell drifted off, unable to continue the sentence as she felt her eyes burn with tears again. Poe moved closer to her, pulling her in to his arms. She sank in to his embrace gratefully, breathing in his warm scent. Poe held her head to his chest, slowly rocking her from side to side, not talking, just trying to offer her comfort. Nell pulled away from him slightly, looking up into his tanned face, her eyes roving over his features.

"Why aren't you in bed?" She asked softly. Poe looked away, but not before Nell noticed a haunted look cross his face. Poe sighed heavily, taking her hand and leading her over to a bench at the side of the hangar. He was silent for a moment and Nell waited patiently for him to explain, as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. Looking up to the stars, he finally spoke.

" I was captured. On Jakku. I was on a mission for the General, and the First Order came. Everyone in the village was killed, there was no mercy. They took me. They tortured me. I was beaten pretty badly,but Kylo Ren, he..."

Poe's words tailed off, and he shook his head. Nell reached across and turned his face to hers.

"What happened, Poe?" she asked quietly, dreading the answer.

"He was in my head. The beatings were nothing compared to what that sick son of a bitch did. He was a jedi, but there was nothing good or pure about him. He stole my memories, sifting through them. He made me see things I'd tried to forget. Made me watch my mother die, over and over. He showed me the deaths of my friends in terrifying, graphic detail. I haven't slept well ever since I got back. "

Poe hung his head and Nell gathered him to her, holding him as she tried to come to terms with the awful truth of what he'd just told her. She'd heard talk of Kylo Ren, but thought he was just a myth. Lifting his head, Poe gazed at her, lifting a hand to cup her cheek.

"I haven't been able to tell anyone about that. It feels better just to have told you. Thank you."

Poe kissed Nell softly on the forehead, and heat blossomed in her, travelling from her heart, right from the crown of her head to the tips of her toes. Nell closed her eyes, savouring the warmth of his calloused hand against her cheek. She didn't open her eyes even when he slid his hand to trace her jaw, and tangled his fingers in her hair. She felt his warm breath ghosting across her face, could smell the minty scent of his toothpaste as he leant his forehead against hers. Nell's breath caught when she felt his soft lips lightly touching to hers, almost as if asking for permission to kiss her. As quickly as the contact came, it left. Nell opened her eyes to see Poe looking at her cautiously.

"Is this ok, Nell? I didn't mean...I mean, I wanted to, but-"

"Shut up, Dameron." Poe looked confused and a little taken aback by her words. Nell leant forward and kissed him, smiling in to the kiss when she felt him respond and slide one arm around her waist.

Pausing to catch their breath, the two pulled apart, smiling at each other nervously.

"Stay with me tonight?" Nell said.

"Are you sure?" Poe responded.

"I don't want to be alone. I just need you to hold me" Nell admitted softly, gazing at the tarmac below her feet. Poe rubbed her cheek with his work-roughened knuckles.

"Of course."

General Leia Organa hadn't been able to sleep ever since the return of the Millennium Falcon. Han's loss hadn't changed much of her day-to-day life, but she felt his absence keenly. Sometimes at night she like to come to the hangar to just be near the Millennium Falcon. She knew Rey would be leaving soon to find her brother, but for now she wanted to remember the man she had always loved. As she was about to emerge from the shadows she noticed movement in the corner of her eye. Leia smiled softly to herself as she recognised her favourite pilot and her dear friend's niece sitting together watching the stars.

Turning around, she left as quietly as she arrived, glad that the two troubled souls had found comfort in each other.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note:**

 **Hey everyone, so SO SOOOOO sorry it's been so long since I last uploaded. It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but in a good way :) Going to try and upload more regularly, but the one-a-day original plan was hugely unrealistic, especially when writer's block strikes as it did with this chapter! Not a massive amount of Poe/Nell fluff in this one. Hopefully more in the next chapter!**

 **Thank you so so much for all of your follows and reviews - keep them coming, I love getting feedback and would love to hear what you'd like to see in future chapters. Really hope you enjoy this chapter, and thank you for sticking with it so far!**

 **Deserah xx**

Chapter 10

The harsh beeping of her chrono alarm woke Nell the next morning. Slowly blinking her eyes open, Nell was suddenly aware of the heavy arm wrapped around her waist and the warm body that was attached to it pressed up against her back. Her gaze followed the arm up to broad shoulders and Nell slowly smiled as she remembered the events of the night before.

"Good morning, beautiful" Poe mumbled, his eyes still closed. Nell grinned and kissed his cheek, turning to face him and settling in his embrace. Poe opened his eyes and propped himself up on his forearm, raising his other hand to brush a few stray curls out of Nell's face.

"Tell me we don't have to get up yet? You're so warm" Nell murmured, tucking her head in to his chest and burrowing further under the covers. Nell felt Poe's laugh rumble in his chest as he kissed the top of her head.

" Not yet, sweetheart, but there are a few things I wanna do today. I'd be more than happy for you to tag along though...if you want to that is. I need to go and see Finn."

Nell nodded, feeling her eyes close again as she revelled in the warmth of her pilot's arms.

Rey sat at Finn's bedside, watching his chest rise and fall in time with the steady beeping of the monitors surrounding his bed. She couldn't help but feel responsible for his state, even if it had been that monster Kylo Ren who had caused her friend's injuries. She'd been sitting at his bedside for hours, only leaving the room when the med droids needed to change Finn's dressings. Her guilt at Finn's injuries only strengthened her resolve. She would be leaving soon to find Luke Skywalker, now that the map was complete. She would convince the legendary Jedi to train her in the ways of the force, and together they would defeat Kylo Ren. Rey was wary of the anger she felt towards the fallen Jedi, knowing that it would be a weakness. She had seen what anger and hatred had done to Han Solo's son, how it tore him apart and had led him to commit unspeakable acts. Rey knew that she had to follow the path of the light if she was to bring justice for her friend and the fallen members of the Resistance and the New Republic.

Rey was startled out of her reverie by the beeps and whistles of a familiar BB-8 unit that entered the room, followed by the pilot, Poe Dameron and a girl she hadn't seen before. Rey smiled tentatively at the trio, unsure of what to say.

"How is he?" Poe asked quietly, his eyes not moving from his unconscious friend. Rey followed his gaze, looking back at Finn.

" The wound in his back is healing well, considering the med team's lack of previous experience with saber wounds. Dr Kalonia was in here earlier checking his wounds and said that there's no reason why he shouldn't wake up...he just...they don't know why he won't wake up." Rey's eyes filled with tears. Poe placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and BB-8 nudged against her leg, letting out a long, forlorn beep in sympathy.

"Y'know, Nell and I can watch him for a while if you want to go and get a bite to eat or sleep? How long have you been here, Rey? I promise we'll let you know right away if anything changes."

Rey looked at Poe and Nell uncertainly, chewing her lip and looking back at Finn. Nell studied the girl. She was slender, but strong, with clear tanned skin and arresting hazel eyes. She can't have been more than 19, but there was pain in her gaze that aged her. The dark circles under her eyes suggested that she hadn't slept in days.

"I don't know...I don't want to leave him..." Nell stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Rey's shoulder.

"He won't be alone" She said softly, giving Rey a sympathetic smile "Get some rest, eat something – he wouldn't want you not to be looking after yourself. We'll be here." Rey nodded resignedly, turning to kiss Finn's forehead before leaving the room with a backward glance.

Nell watched the girl leave, before taking a seat next to Poe at Finn's bedside.

"He saved me, you know." Poe said after a while, breaking the silence. Nell turned to look at him and clasped his hand, waiting for him to explain further.

"He was a stormtrooper. I'd be scheduled for 'termination', they called it. He got me out of Kylo Ren's torture chamber. We stole a tie-fighter and flew out of that Star Destroyer, crashing on Jaaku. If it wasn't for him I'd probably be dead now. Or worse." Poe had the same haunted look on his face that Nell had seen the night before. She squeezed his hand, unsure of what to say to comfort Poe.

"He's a brave man. I owe him a debt of gratitude too, in that case. If he hadn't got you out I never would have met you." Nell admitted, quietly. Poe turned to look at her, smiling slightly and wrapping and arm around her shoulders. They both turned back to watch Finn, waiting to see a change.

A few hours passed, and Poe dozed off, his head resting on Nell's shoulder. When the General walked in to the room, Nell smiled at her apologetically, not standing for fear of waking Poe. Leia smiled back at the girl, going over to the other side of Finn's bed. Not looking up from the former stormtrooper's peaceful face, Leia spoke.

"This young man in a brave soul indeed. Not only did he save my best pilot, he helped destroy Starkiller base and dealt a significant blow to the First Order. We all owe him a great deal. But I see you already know that." At this, Leia looked up at Nell, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

"He helped avenge my family's deaths and for that I will be eternally thankful." Nell answered, unsure what else to say to the stoic woman who watched her.

"I'm glad you and Dameron have found each other. There are dark days ahead of us. Take comfort in each other."

Nell felt Poe stirring before she could respond. The pilot blinked groggily, jumping out of his seat when he saw the older woman in front of him.

"General! I'm sorry, if I'd known..."

"At ease, Dameron." Looking at Nell before turning back to the pilot, Leia continued "If you have other things to do I can watch Finn for now." Her tone implied a command, rather than a request.

Nodding, Poe stepped over to Finn's side.

"Take it easy buddy. I'll be back tomorrow. You're in good company here." Poe winked at Nell and took her hand, leading her out of the med bay as the General took the seat he'd vacated.

When they were out in the corridor Poe stopped and turned to Nell.

"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day? Want to get some food? I'm starved." Nell grinned, nodding in agreement.

"Food sounds great. Lead the way, Commander." She winked at Poe, who wrapped and arm around her shoulders, leading her towards the mess hall. Nell positively glowed with happiness.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hey everyone (if there's anyone still reading this...) I'm SO SORRY it took me so damn long to post this new chapter. It's been a tough few weeks lately. I got dumped by the love of my life and I've been struggling to come to terms with it. Anyway, onwards and upward! Lots of fluff here. Fluff central! You have been warned...

Chapter 11

When the two reached the mess they found that it was practically deserted – they'd missed the evening meal and the crowds that came with it. All that remained were a few droids clearing the discarded food wrappers and trays that had been left behind. Poe walked over to the counter, grabbing a few items from the limited selection left behind. Nell followed suit. Walking over to a nearby table the two sat down and started to eat in companionable silence.

Every now and then one of them would glance up at the other, smiling, only to look away when they made eye contact. Nell couldn't believe how lucky she was that this man, this remarkable pilot, was interested in her.

"What is it?" Poe asked, the smile on his face evident in his voice, after Nell had avoided his gaze a third time.

"It's…nothing. Well, not nothing…it's just…I…well" Nell blushed, unsure of what to say, not wanting to sound like a total sap. Poe chuckled, reaching for her hand and running his thumb along the top of her knuckles.

"Do I make you nervous?" He asked jokingly, winking at her.

"Of course not! I just…well, I kinda like you. That's all." Nell feigned indifference, turning her face away from Poe's.

"Well that's good, 'cos I kinda like you too, kid." Poe drawled, leaning back in his chair, causing Nell to look back at him, a smile adorning her face. Poe thought she was beautiful at that moment. Getting out of his seat, he tugged on her hand.

"Come on, let's get out of here. I want to show you something." Intrigued, Nell stood and followed him out of the mess.

Poe led her through a seemingly never-ending series of hallways before stopping outside a non-descript door. Sliding his palm over the pad next to it, the door beeped before gliding open. The pair stepped through the door and Nell gasped, taking in the sight in front of her. She found herself looking out over a vast lake, surrounded by grassy banks, dotted with low hanging trees, their branches trailing in the water. The glassy surface of the lake reflected the sky which was glowing orange, streaked with clouds tinted pink and purple by the setting sun. Stars were starting to appear in the sky ahead. It was a truly breathtaking sight.

Silently, Poe walked Nell over to a patch of grass near the water's edge. Sitting down, he tugged Nell down next to him, placing his arm around her.

"I come out here sometimes to think. I've never brought anyone here before. But I guess that, seeing as you 'kinda like me' and I 'kinda like you'…" he trailed off, turning to smile at Nell who rolled her eyes at him, smiling back."

"It's beautiful, Poe." Nell breathed, gazing out at the lake, feeling peaceful and happy to be sharing this moment with the man beside her. Turning her head to look at him, she found herself staring back into his deep brown eyes. Silently, they drifted closer to each other, eventually sharing a soft kiss. Stopping for air, Nell leaned her forehead against Poe's, her eyes still closed. They both turned back to look out at the lake, noticing how much the sky had darkened.

Poe gently grasped Nell's chin, turning her face to his, kissing her again with more passion. Nell reciprocated, and sighed in to the kiss when she felt herself being enveloped in the pilot's warm embrace. Turning her face in to the crook of his neck, Nell inhaled sharply when Poe started trailing kisses along her neck and shoulder, sending delicious shivers down her spine and raising goosebumps on her skin. Nell breathed in his unique scent, a combination of engine grease and the clean tang of the citrus scented soap that was standard issue among members of the Resistance.

"Nell…" Poe moaned softly, pulling away. Nell looked up at his face, noticing his flushed appearance and dilated pupils that certainly matched her own. With a coy smile, she stood, turning to leave. After a few steps, she turned around, holding out her hand to Poe, who was still sitting, looking confused at her abrupt departure.

"Well?" She said, cocking a hip "Are you coming?"

A grin stole over Poe's face as he leapt to his feet, catching up with her. Grabbing hold of her hand, he led her back in to the base, heading towards his quarters.

After hurrying through another labyrinth of corridors, Poe eventually came to an abrupt stop outside another door. After glancing quickly at Nell, he opened the door, gesturing to Nell that she should go inside. Poe followed, closing the door after him. The lights blinked on and Nell let out a low whistle at the sight of the large room.

"Well, Commander – I guess your rank comes with certain privileges?" She joked, raising an eyebrow as she turned to face him.

Poe chuckled lowly, moving to clear some of the mess that adorned the large space. Every surface was covered in droid and ship schematics, as well as undistinguishable parts of machinery in various states of disarray. Nell watched him moving erratically around the room, shoving papers in to drawers and haphazardly clearing surfaces. She started to feel a little nervous.

"Ummm, Poe...?" She queried, causing the pilot to abruptly stop what he was doing. He turned around, looking a little abashed.

"I'm sorry, I just...I didn't count on this happening tonight. And, well..." Poe trailed off, looking unsure how to continue. He ran his hands through his hair, as Nell stood from the chair she was in, coming to stand in front of him.

"Neither did I" she admitted, smiling encouragingly at Poe.

"I just...I have kind of a – well, a reputation on this base. When you're out there, fighting to stay alive and risking your life and the lives of your friends, you need a way to cut loose when you get back. I may have...cut loose with a number of women on this base. A number I'm not really proud of. But you're different. I don't want you to just be another number." Poe sighed, moving to sit on the large bed at one side of the room. He looked up at Nell as she came and sat next to him on the bed.

" I feel the same way" she murmured, gazing down at her hands in her lap

" Back home.." Nell fought down the lump that rose in her throat as she thought of Hosnian Prime .

"Back home, I always felt that there was something missing. I realise now that I was in the wrong place. My job, my life...it was empty and meaningless. I was restless. I tried to fill that emptiness with the company of men. Again, it's not something I'm proud of and most of them meant nothing to me, but you're different too. I don't want to rush in to this." Nell blushed, ashamed at her admission, not wanting to look at Poe and see disappointment, or worse, disgust in his eyes.

After a beat, Poe took her hands, urging her to look up at him. He gazed searchingly at her face, before leaning in to press another warm, soft kiss to her lips. After a moment he drew back and paused before speaking.

"Nell, who would I be to judge you? Let's take this slow. It's probably not a bad idea anyway, especially since you'll be joining my squadron. Will you stay tonight , though?"

Nell breathed a sigh of relief, smiling at Poe, she nodded, before leaning in to kiss him again.

After a while, Poe went over to a drawer, taking out one of his shirts and a pair of shorts for Nell, who took them gratefully, before going in to the 'fresher to change. When she came out, Poe was already in bed, shuffling over to make room for her. She got in and curled up next to him, resting the side of her head on the hard, warm plane of his chest. Poe kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her as they both sank in to a peaceful sleep.


End file.
